


welcome home

by voidstonem



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Homeless, Angst, Donghyuck is homeless, Donghyuck is starving, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mark comes to the rescue, Mark is an art student, One Shot, Some Fluff, Starvation, both of them are immediately whipped, markhyuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 09:42:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15603588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voidstonem/pseuds/voidstonem
Summary: Mark really wants to draw a picture of the cute boy he just met, but said boy just passed out in his arms.orDonghyuck is homeless and starving and just trying to get by. Mark rescues him and finds a new muse for his art.





	welcome home

**Author's Note:**

> I am not really sure what this is, but it happened. Please enjoy! If you like this and you're into angsty markyhuck stories, check out my other works haha. All I do is write angst. Oh well. 
> 
> Please comment and leave me feedback. Comments are what keeps me writing.

Donghyuck doesn’t think he’s ever been this hungry before. 

He’s been living on the streets for a while now, but he usually didn’t let it get this bad. He hadn’t successfully stolen food or money in the past few days, and now he was paying for it. His empty stomach was contracting forcefully, creating miserable pangs in his abdomen. He didn’t have time to look for food now, though. Now, it was time for him to move.

Donghyuck never slept in the same place for more than two or three nights. It was too risky for him to be seen regularly in a particular alleyway or abandoned building. The south side of Seoul was pillaged by gangs, and Donghyuck had already had a few too many run-ins with violent gang members. He remembers the first time he was attacked by the vicious strangers. They never really meant to hurt him too badly; it was clear he was just a defenseless kid. They would just rough him up a bit. Nevertheless, Donghyuck tried his best to avoid conflict. 

He wanders around a local park for an hour before he spots an unoccupied bench underneath a large cherry blossom tree. His hunger has gotten to the point where he’s feeling deeply nauseous, but there’s nothing in his stomach to throw up. Donghyuck figures he can safely set up camp here for the night and scavenge for food again in the morning. He knows he needs to find something to eat before he gets too weak, but it’s already dark and he’s definitely not equipped to wander around Seoul alone at night. Especially not a young, pretty boy like him. 

Donghyuck lays his extra flannel across the seat of the bench and rummages through his tattered backpack. He pulls out an old sweatshirt and folds it into a makeshift pillow. It’s spring, so he’ll make do without a blanket. He hugs his backpack to his chest as he tries to fall asleep.

Sleep doesn’t come easily. His stomach is aching brutally and a chilly breeze causes him to shiver. 

Donghyuck is fine, though. He has to be.

~

Mark Lee takes pride in his passion. To him, art wasn’t just a hobby. It was a way to escape, a way to express himself. His parents were less than thrilled when their son had told them he wanted to pursue art, but he didn’t care. In fact, Mark didn’t hesitate to pack up his things and move into his own apartment when his parents attempted to convince him to change his major to law. 

The walls of his studio apartment are covered in his work. Everything from warm watercolor landscapes to etchings of dark cityscapes are on display, and there’s a few bare spots here and there where Mark can add more of his handiwork. 

Right now, Mark is working on a detailed colored pencil drawing of a perfectly proportioned cherry blossom tree he spotted in a park downtown. He still needs to finish the background of the piece, which is supposed to depict a budding sunrise. 

Mark plans to head over to the park just before sunrise the following morning so he can take photos of the rosy sky. He visits this park often to search for inspiration for his artwork, and he wants this drawing to be as realistic as possible.

With his alarm set for five in the morning, he enjoys a quick meal of ramen and banana milk before settling into bed. Most kids his age were probably enjoying their spring break by staying out all night and sleeping in in the morning. Mark isn’t like most university students, though. Mark isn’t interested in partying. He’s interested in making his big break as a young, unrivaled artist.

~

When Donghyuck wakes up, it’s still dark out. The gnawing pain in his stomach is telling him he won’t be able to fall back asleep, so he sits up. 

The park is pretty much empty, which makes sense. It doesn’t officially open until seven o’clock and, judging by the lack of light, Donghyuck is sure it’s much earlier than seven o’clock right now.

He’s shoving his sweatshirt and flannel back into his backpack when someone taps him on the shoulder.

All Donghyuck can think is _please don’t let it be a cop._

When he turns around, he’s face to face with a boy with an unusually charming face.

“Hi, my name is Mark. I don’t mean to bother you, but would you mind if I took a picture of you right now? I’m working on a drawing of this bench and that tree and you just look so _real_ sitting here and—”

At that exact moment, Donghyuck’s stomach gives an almighty growl as he winces at the cramping in his abdomen. He feels guilty that his stomach so rudely interrupted this gorgeous boy who actually acknowledged his presence, unlike most other passerby. Nevertheless, Donghyuck is starting to feel lightheaded and, _fuck_ , he feels like he could puke.

The boy called Mark is staring at him intently, his eyes suddenly narrowing in realization. He lifts his arm and points at Donghyuck’s inevitable bedhead. Or, in this case, is it _bench-head?_

“Did you sleep here?”

Donghyuck bows his head in shame.

“Yes,” he replies weakly.

He thinks he sees Mark’s lips move again and he must be asking Donghyuck another question, but Donghyuck doesn’t hear it. He tries to pull himself to his feet because he can’t do this right now. There’s heat pooling in his empty stomach because the boy beside him has the most captivating brown eyes, and now he’s about find out Donghyuck is homeless.

Donghyuck hoists himself off of the bench. He sees Mark reach an arm out towards him with a look of concern on his face, but Donghyuck isn’t conscious enough to react. Suddenly, his head is swimming and his knees give out beneath him. The last thing he sees before he faints is the outline of Mark’s figure lurching forward to catch him before his body hits the dirt.

~ 

Mark isn’t entirely sure why he did it. He decides his spontaneous decision probably had something to do with the mysterious park-bench boy’s innocent eyes and soft features.

And, now, Mark has a stranger draped across his bed. It wasn’t exactly difficult for Mark to transport the boy back to his apartment. The boy is dangerously skinny and even lighter than he looks. Mark isn’t normally one to go out of his way to make friends. He’s more used to flying solo. In this case, however, things were different. This mysterious boy was clearly in need of help. 

And, as much as Mark hates to admit it, he really wants to draw this boy. He’s just so cute.

Then, Mark realizes that he wants to draw the boy alive. He has no desire to draw a corpse. He briefly considers ordering takeout, but then he realizes it’s only just after six in the morning. With that, Mark slaps a pot onto his stove and starts boiling water for ramen. He also raids his cupboards for any kind of snack he can find. Luckily, he’s able to muster up a few choco pies.

Judging from the boy’s gaunt appearance and that horrible sound his stomach made just before he passed out, he’s definitely very hungry.

Mark is just taking the ramen off the stove when he hears an anguished groan from across the room. He turns around to see his guest sitting up cautiously. He has both of his arms wrapped tightly around his stomach and Mark hears him let out a quiet whine when he smells the food. He watches the expression on the boy’s face turn from desire to confusion to realization.

“Fuck,” he mutters, “I passed out didn’t I?”

“I’m afraid so,” replies Mark. He’s shocked at how calm the boy is. “Are you going to tell me your name?”

The boy hesitates, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. 

“It’s Donghyuck.”

“Nice to meet you, Donghyuck. I have to say I wish we’d met under better circumstances. My name is Mark.”

Donghyuck only nods. He still seems weak and disoriented.

Mark isn’t really a fan of small talk, so he turns his attention back to the ramen. He scoops a hefty serving into a plastic bowl and hands it to Donghyuck along with a pair of chopsticks. Donghyuck carefully takes the bowl and utensils from Mark’s hands, but he doesn’t start eating immediately like Mark thought he would.

“Why are you doing this?”

Donghyuck asks the question quietly, but Mark clearly makes out every word.

“You needed help. I did what anyone would do.”

“No one helps me unless they want something in return.”

There’s an uncomfortable silence that engulfs them then. Donghyuck still hasn’t touched the food. He lets his eyes wander to the drawings that cover the walls around him.

“I want you to let me draw you,” whispers Mark.

Donghyuck seems taken aback by that. His eyes visibly widen and heat rises in his pale cheeks. He nods gently in response to Mark’s request and sticks his chopsticks into the bowl. Donghyuck eats greedily, but Mark doesn’t mind. He continues to refill his new friend’s bowl until he’s eaten his fill.

That night, Donghyuck sleeps in a sleeping bag on Mark’s floor. The next day, Donghyuck takes a long overdue shower and borrows some of Mark’s clothes. 

On the third day, Donghyuck reveals to Mark that he’d been living on the streets because his parents had disowned him when they found out he was gay. Every day since then, Donghyuck and Mark reveal something about themselves to each other.

And for the first time in a long time, Donghyuck has found a place he can truthfully call home.

~

One year later, Donghyuck has started working at the same coffee shop as Mark. The two of them have moved into a slightly larger two bedroom apartment. Donghyuck refuses to sleep alone, though, so Mark’s moved the extra bed into his own room so the two of them can share the bedroom. The extra room was converted into an art studio for Mark.

Mark’s previous home had been embellished with watercolor paintings of landscapes and etchings of cityscapes. Now, the home he shares with Donghyuck is decorated with various portraits of the latter. 

At first, Donghyuck didn’t really like to sit still and model for Mark. After Mark began rewarding Donghyuck with a kiss for every hour he sat still, however, he became much better at modeling.

Donghyuck is extremely grateful for the cherry blossom tree in the park and the rickety bench that sits beneath it. He never would have met the love of his life or found a home he feels safe in if it hadn’t been for that particular scene in the park.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this story.


End file.
